Cougar kills one in Washington

ParadiseRoad said:
...cougars tend to attack from above and behind...very quietly...
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Probably true for all the cats. I've watched the same female bobcat hunt in my yard 3 years in a row, every June & July, and she hunts with a combination of lightning speed steps, stealth quietness, and intelligence. She moves quickly and quietly when she figures the prey animal is not looking, and freezes when she figures it might be looking her way. When she moves, she takes a serious of lightning quick steps. And she's smart enough to maneuver to put a big tree between her and the prey while it stalks. Cougar probably hunts similarly, which means unless your head is on a perpetual 360 degree swivel, you won't see the attack coming.
 
vt_shooter said:
....Cougar probably hunts similarly, which means unless your head is on a perpetual 360 degree swivel, you won't see the attack coming.
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Maybe not the initial one. But cougars aren't tigers, and when it comes to humans, not very competent predators, indicating we're not really on their menu.

If you look at the documented cougar attacks, most play out like this one on the cyclists, more like a "running battle". Even on the few occasions, in Colorado and California, where lone joggers were taken the way you envision, there were signs of a fight.

So while it's silly to expect to be able to outdraw and stop a lion on the jump, as one might hope to stop a charging grizzly, with gun or spray, you likely will get a chance to fight as the attack progresses. Most people survive cougar attacks.

klondike said:
A friend of mine in Eastern Oregon when he plants trees on his property, wears a pair of boxer shorts with a happy face on the back. When he is bent over, the face is guarding his six from any big cats stalking him.
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He must have watched that NatGeo program on the man-eating tigers of the Sundarbans in India, where people actually wear masks like that on the back of their heads and it supposedly works.
The butt is an interesting variation :D
 

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As I recall, most of these attacks are young solo males forced out away from their mother and not doing well. Compound that with standard issue west side folks who are ill-prepared for the wilderness (SAOAFR; listening to music with earbuds, poorly dressed more often than not, and no means of self-rescue in the isolated areas) ... and we have something like this.

I live on the good (but deteriorating) side of MP52 and there are regular events each year involving people who have no clue about what they are doing, resulting in preventable rescue and body recovery operations. Cross-country skiers, hikers, rafters, snowmobilers and a whole lot of other unprepared fools (oh, the comments I could make, but the Gorilla would have a fit) - been involved in a few body recoveries, none of which should have happened. I was raised an eastern urbanite, but I at least know I should not be out in these areas most of the time ... the boneheads from Western WA are a complete soup sandwich more often than not. And they don't even have to be in the woods ... I've done far too many motorist assists on idjits who had no clue how far it was to the next gas station.

It's a real sore point, in case you didn't perceive that.
 
I do feel sorry for the victim and his family. Still, went out with his boots on. Not as good as dying peacefully in your sleep of old age, better than staring vacantly in a nursing home for a couple of years; at least to me.
 
Doug M. said:
As I recall, most of these attacks are young solo males forced out away from their mother and not doing well. Compound that with standard issue west side folks who are ill-prepared for the wilderness (SAOAFR; listening to music with earbuds, poorly dressed more often than not, and no means of self-rescue in the isolated areas) ... and we have something like this.

I live on the good (but deteriorating) side of MP52 and there are regular events each year involving people who have no clue about what they are doing, resulting in preventable rescue and body recovery operations. Cross-country skiers, hikers, rafters, snowmobilers and a whole lot of other unprepared fools (oh, the comments I could make, but the Gorilla would have a fit) - been involved in a few body recoveries, none of which should have happened. I was raised an eastern urbanite, but I at least know I should not be out in these areas most of the time ... the boneheads from Western WA are a complete soup sandwich more often than not. And they don't even have to be in the woods ... I've done far too many motorist assists on idjits who had no clue how far it was to the next gas station.

It's a real sore point, in case you didn't perceive that.
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Are you talking about the cougar or the cyclist???
Hate to sound cold but the second attack in 100 years???? Stuff happens. I believe that encroachment is a direct cause in more interaction with critters and city people don't realize that these critters be W-I-L-D!! Try to catch something as little and innocuous as a squirrel-that little critter will F...er mess you up!! Ask Angus on that one!! If I am going ot be outside in an area whee there be critters that kill, I will be prepared. Fortunately down here in Louisiana the biggest threat along the coast is skeeters, alligators black bears and pigs. The Pigs and black bears will run from you well before you see them and the gators won't screw with you unless you mess with them. I'd be wary however if I knew there were big cats around.
 
My wife and I had a 50' encounter with a cougar on our mountain bikes.
Fortunately our big dogs were with us and they chased the cat away.
I started carrying a hand gun, pepper spray and a knife in a fanny pack.
The dogs went with me/us every time.
 
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If I recall a number of joggers suffered attacks
if not death in California about 10 years ago.

It again seems to be about "running prey" with
the attacks coming from behind.
 
CAJUNLAWYER said:
Are you talking about the cougar or the cyclist???
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ROTFL.gif
 
So the biker that took off running after his buddy was attacked was the one that got killed?
Karma?
Stick together, kids.
 
I know of two cougar attacks that were ended by use of a knife, but a handgun is better. Spray is useless when the animal is already on you or about to be. And if it gets on you, you're even worse off than with just the cat to contend with. And if the wind is blowing toward you, the spray will, too.

I know of one man who killed an African lion that was dragging him off to eat. Used a knife with six-inch blade. Look up Harry Wolhuter. Pics will impress you. The lion's hide and Wolhuter's knife and belt were displayed for decades at Kruger Natl. Park. May still be there. But poor Wolhuter's shoulder that was grabbed by the lion never healed right.

I interviewed a Mr. Anderson, a cougar victim from Vancouver Island. He was badly injured. Said the hardest part was keeping her teeth out of his throat while he drew and opened a lockblade Schrade LB-7 knife.

Animal huggers like to point out things like the rarity of cougar attacks. But they're increasing and if one happens to you, well, we aren't discussing how much more common auto accidents are...

I think Brtish Columbia has the most cougar attacks, and Canadians can't even carry a gun in the woods.
 
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Watchdog said:
Humans have a major shortcoming when it comes to being outside in wild or semi-wild areas. Most city dwellers are happily oblivious of their surroundings.
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I agree with your statement. And I raise you. IMHO many, many city dwellers are oblivious to danger IN THIER NATURAL SURROUNDINGS ie the city.

So many are just totally situationally blind.
 
Autonomous said:
So the biker that took off running after his buddy was attacked was the one that got killed?
Karma?
Stick together, kids.
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Maybe he thought the cougar would be so busy with his friend, it wouldn't pay any attention to him as he was running away.

Oops.
gah.gif
 
That is true, but....

Absalom said:
Here is the phrase from the article one should probably focus on:

“Authorities said this is the second cougar attack death in Washington state in the past 100 years.”

Now let’s look at how many bicyclists have been killed by drivers, drunk or not, during the same time span, and that should put things in perspective.

Cougar attacks are rare anyways, but an attack pressed home repeatedly against multiple adults is a freak event. Yes, in this situation a gun would have definitely saved them. I always carried when I rode my bike in earlier decades. But if you are prone to worry about cougar attacks, you’re not going to enjoy the Western outdoors.
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Maybe cougars aren't the main culprit in animal attacks but contacts with different types of wild animals has been increasing due to encroaching on their territory.
 
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amazingflapjack said:
Well, The Old Man told me never to go in the woods without a knife and a gun-a long time ago. If I can't take my knife and gun in their woods, I ain't going.
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When I was about 12 (mid-60s) I was in Penn's Woods /Laurel Highlands when a dog pack chasing a deer passed about 40 yds from me...... going full out...... all I can say is my 5" belt knife seemed mighty small...........

always took a rifle after that ...... only a .22 but better than a sharp stick.

Got my Concealed Carry permit so I could carry(concealed) my 2 1/2 inch 19 on my wanderings in Penn Woods.
 
bullmack said:
I posted this image about a year ago. It was taken by my neighbor about 40 miles south of Tacoma in prime cougar country. My 20 acres is undeveloped but we go out there often - and I now carry.
attachment.php
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That's a nice one!
 
walkinghorse said:
The report says the mountain biker was killed, and the suspected cougar was euthanized. Interesting difference in verbage.
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The cougar was shot and killed, which I suppose could be (very) loosely defined as euthanization.
 
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